Toilet ventilator



arch 2, E37. w. BEARD ,72,43

' TOILET VENTILATOR- Filed April 16, 1956 N yf Patented 2, 1937 `l UNITED STATES PATENT QFFlC- WiUiamTselrlizlCirss, Colo.

Application April 16, 1936, Serial No. 74.738

2 Claims.

This invention relates to ventilators and more particularly to an attachment which may be secured to a conventional toilet bowl for ventilation thereof.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which can be readily applied to the present construction of a toilet bowl without altering any' of the vconstruction of the bowl proper so as to provide a means for ventilation thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved fan and motor therefor, together with a connection between the fan and the iiitake portion thereof so that the fan and motor can be mounted in any desired position with respect to the toilet bowl, thus making it unnecessary to change the present construction of the bowl or any of the parts associated-therewith.

A .further object of this invention is tolprovide an-improved motor operating switch which is r adapted to be embedded in the seat for the bowl and which is so mounted that the operating parts thereof will not be exposed.

The above and various other objects and ad vantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from the fo1lowing.detail description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a conventional toilet bowl having a Ventilating means, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention, mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the bowl and ventilating attachment.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiona View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 2,.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing wherein like symbols designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral It designatesg'enerally the rim portion of a bowl B of conventional construction which is provided with a seat II `hinged to the rear portion I2 of the rim or top I by va conventional hinge structure I3-l This y toilet bowl and seat structure is conventional and it will be understood that the hereinafter described Ventilating means may be secured to any of the present bowl and seat constructions at present in use.

In order to provide a means whereby the interior of the bowl B may be ventilated, I have provided a fan, generally designated as I4, having an outlet I and an intake pipe I6 connected to the central portion thereof. This'fan I4 is operated by a motor I'I which is connected as by a conductor I8 to a suitable source `oi electric current supply.

An intake manifold I9 is disposed on the rear portion or table I2 of the rim III and is connected to the intake pipe I6 of the fan I4 and this intake manifold I9 is secured to the table portion I2 of the bowl B beneath the securing bolts for the hinge I3 ofthe seat II. The manifold I3 comprises a. relatively at intake nozzle which is adapted to extend beneath the pintle 2I of the hinge structure I3 with the open or forward end thereof confronting the interior of the bowl B.

The rear portion of the nozzle 2li` communicates with a transversely extending pipe 22 and this pipe 22 is provided at opposite ends thereof with an annular seat portion 23.` These seat portions 23 are of identical construction so that the reduced end portion 24 of the intake pipe FE may be connected to either end of the manifold pipe 22. A plug or cap 25 is adapted to be secured to one end of the manifold pipe 22 by means of a threaded rod 26 which engages at one end in a boss 21 provided on the inside of the lntake pipe I6. A base plate 21 is formed integral with the nozzle 20 and the pipe 22 and/ is provided with suitable openings to receive the bolts for securing the hinge structure I3 to the rear or table portion I2 of the rim Ili. The end of the intake pipe I6 which iengages the fan structure I4 is provided with an annular ange 2 8 engaging in a. recess 29 provided in one side portion 33 of the fan housing. The bolts or screws 3| extend into the housing portion 30 and overlie the with a recess 33 to receive a flange 34 carried by a mounting means 35 for attaching the fan housing to one'side of the motor -II.

The fan blades 33 are secured to a hub 31 which is attached'as by a set screw 38 to the driving shaft 39 of the motor. Preferably, these blades 36 are so constructed that the fan may be turned in either direction without effecting the flow of air through the housing. AThe flange 34 is secured as by bolts 40 in the annular recess 33 and this recess` 33 is substantially the same size as therecess 29 so that the fan housing may be reversed if desired.

The outlet member I5 of the ian housing, as

shown in Figures l and 2, may be connected to aY suitable carry-off means and, in the present instance, this outlet connection l5 discharges through a wall 4I so that the air discharged through this connection i5 will flow upwardly in the space between the wail or the connection I5 may be connected to a Ventilating pipe, where such is available.

The seat Il is sealed with respect to the rim I0 by means of a yieldable Sealing member 42 in the form of one or more strips of sponge rubber, or the like, which are adapted to be attached by any suitable attaching means to the underside of the seat I I. Preferably, the cushioning means 42 is cut away, as at 43, so as to receive the intake nozzle 20 and the forward portion of the cushioning means 42 is also cut away so as to admit air into the bowl B.

The motor I1 is set in operation by means of a switch structure which is carried by the seat Il and this switch structure comprises a housing 44 which is inserted in an opening 45 provided in the seat II and, preferably, the housing 44 is round in transverse section so that a hole may be bored into the seat il from the'rear thereof to snugly receive the housing 44. A iixed contact member' 48 is carried by an insulating body 4l within the housing 44 and a yieldable contact 48 is also carried by this insulating means 4l and disposed in confronting relation to the xed contact or terminal 46. The contact 4E is connected to a wire or conductor 49 and the movable contact 48 is connected to a wire 5U extending through a cable 5I and these two conductors 49 and 50 are interposed in the conductor i8 which supplies current to the motor I1.

The movable conductor 48 is moved into contacting relation with a xed contact 4B by means of a plunger 52 which is loosely mounted in an opening 53 provided in the seat II. This opening 53extends vertically and opens through the underside of the seat I I so that the lower end of the plunger 52 will contact with the upper surface of the exposed portion of the sealing member 42. In this manner, when pressure is applied to the seat II, that portion of the cushioning member. 42 extending across the lower end of the opening 53 will be distorted upwardly so that the plunger 52 will be moved in an upward direction and thereby force the movable terminal or contact 48 into circuit closing position.

In the use and operation of this Ventilating means, the manifold I9 is adapted to be xedly secured beneath the bolts for the hinge structure I3 and the cushioning means 42 attached to the underside of the seat II. The conductor I 8 is connected to a suitable source of current supply and the motor II and the Ian I4 may be mounted on the desired side of the bowl B and in the desired position with respect to the bowl B through the use of the reversible coupling means 23 and 24 4carried by the manifold I9 and the intake pipe I6 respectively. When the seat Il is not occupied, the cushioning member 42 will not be under pressure and the plunger 5 2 will, therefore, not maintain the movable contact 48 in circuit closing position. However, when pressure is appiiedlto the seat II, the cushioning member 42 will force the plunger 52 upwardly to close the circuit to the motor II, so that during the entire time that pressure is applied to the seat Il, the motor I1 will be operated and air drawn out of the bowl B through the front portion of the bowl at which point the cushioning member 42 is split.

This Ventilating attachment is exceedingly simple in construction and is rendered practical by reason of the fact that the attaching means for the fan `and motor may be reversed so that the outlet for the fan i4 may be connected to a suitable source of carry-off means and the motor and fari may be disposed in an inconspicuous position. While, in Figure l, the intake pipe I6 is disposed on an angle to the vertical, it will be understood that by reason of the adjustable connection 23--24 between this intake pipe IG and the manifold pipe 22, the relation of this intake pipe i5 to the bowl B or to the outlet means for the air may be adjusted in' any desired angle, thus making it unnecessary for a dealer to maintain right and left connections for the motor and fan and making it possible for the device to be quickly attached to any of the present constructions of toilet bowls and seats.

In Figure 1, the outlet I5 of the fan housing i4 is shown in a substantially horizontal. position and the dotted line showing in this figure ind;- cates a second position of this Aoutlet i5. By reason of the connection between the housing ill and the motor II this fan housing ifi may adjusted so as to dispose the outlet in desired position depending only on the means available adjacent the toilet bowl B for carrying ofi the air withdrawn from the bowl. The adjustability of the outlet I5 of the fan makes the installation of the ventilator an exceedingly simple matter so that a plumber or other mechanic may easily mount the Ventilator on the toilet bowl and connect the outlet portion of the fan with whatever means is available at the installation for carying 'oii the air discharged through the outlet I5.

In many of the installations at present available for Ventilating toilet bowls, it is necessary to provide special kmeans for carrying off the air and, in addition, special types of bowls and seats are necessary, whereas with the present invention, the device may be attached to the present construction of a toilet bowl and seat and it is.

not necessary to use a separate pipe for the air l discharged through the outlet side of the fan as this outlet maybe connected to a carry-oir pipe or it may be connected to the wall or ioor construction where either one of these constructions are of a character to permit the flow of air therethrough. Where the outlet I5 is connected directly to the wall between a pair of joists it is only necessary to cut one or more holes in the plate at the top of the wallrstudding so that the air may readily pass through the holes into the atmosphere.

1. In combination, a toilet bowl, a seat hingedlysecured to the top thereof and a Ventilating means connected to the bowl, said Ventilating ymeans comprising a suction fan, a motor, means vided with a seat comprising an intake manifoldv adapted to he interposed between the seat 'and the rim of the bowl, a. pipe connected intermediate its ends to the manifold and, extending laterally of each side thereof, said pipe having open opposite ends, an intake pipe connected at one end to a selected end of said first pipe, means closing the opposite end ot said first pipe.

a Ian connected to the opposite end o! seid intake pipe, a motor for said fan, e, yieldable sealing member interposed between said seat and the rim of the bowl, and a. switch connected to said motor.

f WILLIAM HEARD. 

